Apparatus for operating on strand or strip material



N. H. NYE

June 25, 1940.

APPARATUS FOR OPERATING 0N STRAND 0R STRIP MATERIAL Filed Sept. 20, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. five/v14 /Yy I W W ATTORNEYS June 25, 1940. N, H, NYE 2,205,537

AIPARATUS FOR OPERATING ON STRAND OR STRIP MATERIAL Filed Sept. 20, less 2 Shets-Sheet 2 I IN VENTOR.

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BY 4M /Mm 1 ATTORNEY-5 1 formed on strip material. The embodiment of Patented June 25, 1940 APPARATUS FOR OPERATING N STRAND OR STRIP MATERIAL Norman H. Nye, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, assignor to The Vaughn Machinery Company, Cuyahoga NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for operating on strand or strip material and more particularly to a method and apparatus of this character for .performing successive operations on the material, such as shearing, stamping, perforating or the like;.

An object of my invention is to provide improved apparatus for performing operations of the character indicated on strand or strip material at high speed and at accurately spaced points or intervals.

Yet another object of my invention is to pro-' vide a novel method of operating on moving strand or strip material by which the spacing of the operations can be varied as desired.

The invention may be further briefly summarized as consisting in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and particularly set out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings,

Fig. '1 is a front elevation showing apparatus embodying my invention, but with the strand or strip advancing means omitted;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the apparatus as indicated by line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is another vertical sectional view taken on line 3-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the apparatus;

Fig. 5 is'a partial front elevation showing co-. operating rotatable work-engaging members of another form which may be usedwhen the material to be operated upon is a wire or strand;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing a modified form of the apparatus of my invention; and

.Fig. 'l is a side elevation showing still another modification.

In Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, I show my invention embodied in apparatus to be used for severing or shearing strip material S into sections or lengths, although as indicated above, my invention is not limited to the operation beinga shearing operation, nor to the'operations being permy apparatus here illustrated includes material advancing means III, a shearing mechanism II to which the strip material'is fed or supplied by the advancing means and variable power transmission apparatus I! which can be adjusted for controlling or determining the lengths of the sections to be sheared from the strip material.

The material advancing means l0 may comprise a pair of cooperating feed rolls I4 and I! which grip the strip of material S to feed or advance the same, although in some instances the material advancing means may be some other apparatus for performing manufacturing .operations on the strip and from which the strip issues after the performance of such operations. In the material advancing means II! the cooperating feed rolls l4 and I5 may be mounted in a suitable frame or stand it and may be driven by gearing l'l which is connected withan electric motor l8 by a worm I! or other equivalent means.

- The shearing mechanism ll may comprise a frame or stand 2| having a pair of rotatable blade holders 22 and 23 journaled therein and connected with each other by suitable gears 24 and 25. Tool members such as the shear blades 26 and 21 are mounted on the holders and are adapted to cooperate with each other to sever the strip S upon. each revolution of the holders. Suitable work guiding and supporting means, such as the tables or platforms 28 and 2! may be arranged on opposite sides of the-shearing mechanism II for supporting the strip and the sections or lengths which are severed therefrom.

The present apparatus is capable of operating on the strip S to cause the shearblades 26 and 21 to cut the strip into lengths or sections while it is being continuously advanced and to permit operation of the apparatus in this manner I provide means for driving the shear blades such that whenever they meet to sever the material their velocity will be equal to the velocity of travel of the strip. In other words, theshear blades are so driven that they will be moving at substantially the same speed. as the strip at the instant that the blades engage and sever the strip. It will be seen, however, that if the rate of advance of thestrip is constant and the angular velocity of the shear blades remains constant during a complete revolution thereof, the lengths or sections severed from the strip will be fixed and will not be subject to change or variation. In order that variable lengths may be sheared from the strip I provide the-variable urive'mechanism l2, by which the shear blades can be driven in a manner to cut longer or shorter sections from the strip as may be desired. Since'.the shear blades travel at the same speed as the strip at the time of severance it is necessary that the velocity of the shear blades be increased or decreased during the portion of their revolution in which they do not come in contact with the material if sections of variable length are to be out.

It is also necessary that the revolutions per minute of the shear blades be varied with respect to the rate of advance of the strip if the shearing mechanism I2 is to be capable of cutting several different lengths or sections. As will be presently explained in detail the driving'mechanism l2 provides for such variation in the angular velocity of the shear blades and also provides for variation in the revolutions per minute of the shear blades, so that sections of various lengths can be cut from the strip material 8 while the same is being advancedat'a given constant rate.

The variable speed drive mechanism l2 may include an upright frame 3| and a bracket or mount 32 shiftable on the frame and having Journaled therein a shaft 33 through which the power is transmitted for driving the shear blade holders 22 and 23. The shaft 33 lies in the same vertical plane as the axes of the shear blade holders but; as will be explained more in detail hereinafter, is adapted-to be shifted in such plane by adjustment of the mount 32 for varying the extent to which its axis is offset from the axis of the .shear blade holder 22.

For connecting the inner or adjacent end of the shaft 33 with the shear blade holder 22, I provide means which operates to vary the angular velocity of the shear blades during each revolution thereof. This connecting means may com-v prise a crank pin 33 which is connected with the shear blade holder 22 at a fixed moment arm or the shear blade holder 22 by providing the latterv ways in which a base or flange portion of the f mount slidablyoperates. A spindle 33 may have crank arm distance from its axis of rotation and a member 33 connected with the inner end of the shaft 33 and which is engaged by the crank pin with provision for relative shifting therebetween. The crank pin 33 may be connected with with a disk or plate member 31 outwardly of the gear 23 and on'which the crank pin may be mounted. The member 33 may also be a disk which is connected with the shaft 33 and has a transverse slot, or guideway 33 formed in the inner face thereof. A block or bearing member 33 is slidable in.this slot and has an opening therein in which the crank pin 33 engages.

The mount 32 may be adiustably connected with the frame l2 in any suitable manner, for example, the frame may be provided with guidea screw connection .with the mount 32 and may be arranged to be rotated by the handwheel 3| to cause lifting or lowering of the mount on the frame. I

As will be seen from the arrangement just described the mount 32 can be lifted or lowered to thereby vary the extent to' which the shaft 33 is ofl'set from the axis of rotation of the erank pin 33. It will-also be seen that when the mount 32 is adjusted to a position with the shaft 33 in alignment with the axis of the shear blade holder 22, the crank will be driven at-a constant or uniform angular velocity which is the same as the angular velocity of the disk 33. However. when the mount 32 is shifted to an offset position for the shaft 33, such as that shown in Pig. 1, the rotation of the disk 33 will cause the shear blade holders to be rotated at varying angular velocity. For such an offset relative position of the shaft 33 the shear blades will be drivenat their minimum angular velocity during the moment that they cooperate in shearing the strip. Immediately following such shearing of the strip the blades will be driven with accelerating angular velocity until they reach the 180 position opposite their shearing position whereupon their angular velocity will decelerate until the shearing position is again reached at which time the blades should have a speedof travel equal to the rate of advance of the material.

If desired, indicating means may be provided for facilitating the adjustment of the mount 32.'

Such indicating means may comprise a pointer 32 connected with the mount and graduation on the frame with which the pointer cooperates. During such rotation of the disk 33 the bearing block 33 will have' rnore or less reciprocable sliding movement in the groove 33.

Power for operating the shearing mechanism I i may be taken from the motor II, or in other words, from the same power device which drives the strip advancing means l3 and may be supplied to the shaft 33 through a selective speed ratio device whereby the revolutions per minute of the shear blades can be varied with respect to the rate of advance of the strip 8. This selective speed ratio device may be inthe form of a friction drive as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 and which may comprise a friction faced disk or transmission member 33 mounted on the outer end oftheshaft 33 and a friction disk or roller 33 which cooperates therewith. The disk 33 may be Journaled in an auxiliary housing portion 33 of the frame I! and may be connected with the motor l3 through the strip advancing means b a My.

33 and bevel gearing or the like- 33- contained in the auxiliary housing portion 33.

The arrangement for the friction disk 33 and the auxiliary housing portion 33 is such that the point at which the disk 33 engages the friction face of the main disk 33 will. be spaced from the axis of the shaft 33 at exactly the same distance as the crank pin 33 when the latter is at the lowermost point of its arcuate travel. This relation is important becauseit establishes a desiredi driving relation such that the speed of the shear blades at the, time that they come into shearing engagement with each otherwill be exactly eq al to the velocity of travel of the strip.

From the construction and arrangement abou -3 means llitwillalsobeseenthattherevolutions per minute at whichthe shear blade holders are. drivenwill beproportionaltothespeedof advance of the strip. when the mount 32 is adjusted tovarytheangularspeedofthe'shearbladesthe speedratioorsettingbetweenthedisks 33 and 33 is also automatically changed. Thus, when shortersectionsaretobesheeredfromthestrip the mount 32 is=lowered on-the frame-l2. This will cause the crank pin 33 to operate with a .greater offset between its rotation axis and the axis of the shaft 33 and this will result in a greater 1211' does not have a drive connection to the strip change in the angular velocity of the shear blades. This same adjustment of the mount 32 will cause the point of contact between the disks l3 and 44 to approach nearer the axis of the shaft 33 and this will result in the shear blades being driven at a faster R. P. M. when sections of greater length are to be sheared from the stripthe mount 32 is adjusted upwardly in the frame I! and this will result in a smaller change in the angular velocity .ofthe shear blades and will result in a ratio or setting betweenthe disks 3 and M such that the shear blades will be driven ata lower -R. P. M.

Instead of providing my improved apparatus with the shear blades 26 and 21 for severing the strip into sections, I may .provide cooperating work-engaging members or blades 50 and 5|, as shown in Fig. 5, which may have niches or recesses 52 in their cooperating edges. The membars 50 and-5| may be used when the material to be operated upon is a strand which is to be severed, partially severed, or otherwise operated upon at spaced intervals. 7

In Fig. dot the drawings I show a modified form of my apparatus for operating on strand or strip material and which is capable of operating on such material in substantially the same manner and for the same purposes as the-apparatus of Figs. 1 to 4. The apparatus of Fig. 6 differs from that of Fig. 1 in that the friction disks l3 and 44 are omitted and a positive drive is used in place thereof. This positive drive may include a gear 55 mounted on the outer end of the shaft 33a and a worm 56 cooperating with such gear. In this form of my apparatus, as in the form previously described, the power for driving theshaft 33a and the shear blades is supplied from the strip advancing means Illa which is located ahead of the shear mechanism. Power may be transmitted from the strand advancing means "la to the worm 55 by means of suitable shafting 51 having flexible couplings or universal joints 58 therein.

' To provide for varying the revolutions of the shear blades with respect to the rate of advance of the strip material S, I may employ change speed mechanism. through which the power for driving the shaft 331: may be transmitted at different selected ratios. This change speed mechanism may comprise a gear box 60 having a suitable arrangement of gearing therein affording a selection of the desired different gear ratios. Operating levers BI and 52 may be provided'on the box for shifting to the different settings or gear ratios and the box may also have indications 63' thereon for designating the positions of the levers for the different ratios. The transmission mechanism l2a has a shiftable mount 32a thereon, corresponding with the shiftable mount of the transmission mechanism of Fig. 1, and vertical adjustment or shifting of the mount for varying the angular acceleration of the shear'blades is permitted by the flexible couplings or universal joints 58 in the shafting 51. The mount 32a may,have a pointer 64 thereon which cooperates with graduations or indicators 55 on theframe 3hr for indicating diiferent settings to which the mount 32a may be shifted and which correspond with difl'erent settings or ratios of the gear box 60. Thus by appropriateradjustment sections of the desired length can be cut from the strip S.

In Fig. "7 I show still another form of myapparatus in which the transmission mechanism advancing means lllb, but has an individual driving means such as the electric motor 61. In this form of my apparatus the shiftable mount 32b-in which the shaft 33b is journal'ed is conwill be driven at varying angular velocities, de-: pending upon the setting or adjustment of the mount 32b.

In order to provide for variation in the revolutions per minute of the shear blades for the purpose above explained, I use a variable speedmotor as the driving motor 81 and control the speed of operation of the motor in accordance with the setting or adjustment of the mount 32!). For this purpose I provide an electric control device or rheostat 10 which can be adjusted.

for different motor speeds by swinging of the arm' or lever II. ,By means of a link 12, this lever may be connected with some portion of the mount 3211, such as the projecting lug or brack- 8t 13.. With this arrangement it will be seen that It will when adjustment is to be made for the shearing ofsections of a'difierent length from the strip S" the mount 32b is shifted upwardly or downwardly as desired, to thereby change the adjustment ofthe transmission mechanism for varying the angular velocity at which the shear blades are driven. This adjustment of the mount 32b also causes motion to be transmitted through the link 12 to the rheostat arm II and to shift the setting of the rheostat 10 to acorresponding setting'at which the motor 61 .will be driven at the appropriate speed to provide the required number of revolutions per minute of the shear blades for severing'sections of the desired length from the strip, For convenience in adjusting the transmission mechanism, the mount 32!) may have a suitable pointer I4 connected therewith and .the frame may be provided with graduations or indications 15 with. which the pointer cooperates.

In describing the construction and operationof the different forms of my improved apparatus for operating on strand or strip material, it has been assumed that the strip or strand will ordinarily be advanced at a constant rate and that the angularvelocity and, revolutions per minute of the shear blades, or other cooperating rotative tools, are to be varied for changing the spacing of the operations performed on the material. However, I wish to make clear that all of the various forms of my apparatus can be operated continuously at a given number of revolutions per minute for the shear blades or tools and the rate of advance, of the material can be varied to secure different spacings in the operations performed onthe material.

From the foregoing description and accompanying drawings it will now be readily understood that I have provided an improved method and apparatus for operating on strand or strip material whereby the material can be sheared or otherwise operated. upon while in motion and the spacing of the operations can be conveniently varied. It will be seen furthermore that my improved apparatus embodies novel means for varyblades or tools during each revolution thereof and also embodies novel means for vary ng the revolutions per minute of such shear blades or tools. It will also be understood that in my improved apparatus the shear blades or tools will be driven at exactly the same speed as the material at the instant of engagement of such blades or tools with the moving material and that this will insure accurate and satisfactory operations on the material without producin buckling or kinking therein.

While I have illustrated and described the method and apparatus of my invention in a somewhat detailed manner, it will be understood of course that the invention is not to be regarded as limited to the exact steps of procedure and details of construction herein disclosed, but includes such changes and modifications as come within the scope of the apended claims and do not constitute a departure from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1.In apparatus of the character described. the combination of material advancing means, cooperating rotative membersadapted to perform successive operations on the material being advanced, and power transmission means connecting the material advancing means with the rotative members comprising a crank rotatable about a fixed axis, a rotatable driving element engaging the crank with provision for relative shifting therebetween, a movable support for said rotatable driving element whereby the axis or .the latter may be displaced with respect to ,said fixed axis, and cooperating friction drive memberspne of which is jou'rnaled in a fixed support and the other of which is connected with saidlrotatable driving element and relatively adjustable upon shifting of said movable support.

2. In apparatus of the character described, the. combination of cooperating rotative members adapted to perform successive operations on a 45 strand or strip of moving material, driving means for the rotative members including a crank rotatable about an axis and a rotatable driving element for the crank,'a movable support for said driving element wherebyrthe axis thereoi may be displaced with respect to the axis of the crank, a variable speed electric motor connected with said driving element, and means responsive to variation in the position of the movable support for controlling the speed of the electric motor.

,3. In apparatus of the character having a pair of cooperating iotative tool members adapted tc operate on strand or strip material. while the latter is being advanced, means operable to drive said tool members and to vary the spacing oi theoperations performed on the material comprising a pair of rotatable drive members having cooperating pin and. slot elements and one of which is shiftable for varying the angular speed of the tool members and another pair oi cooperating rotatable drive members one of which is shiftable for varying the speed ratio and the revolutions per minute of said tool members, a

- shaft connecting the shlftable members of said pairs, and a bearing-mounting said shaft and shiftable to cause simultaneous adjustment oi said shiftabiemembers;

4. In apparatus of the character having a pair of cooperating rotative tool members adapted to operate on strand'or strip material ivhile the latter is being advanced, means operable to drive said tool members and to vary the spacing of the operations performed on the material comprising a rotatable slotted memben'a crank connected with one of said tool membersand having a pin engaging in the slot of the slotted member, a rotatable transmission member, a shaft connectins said slotted, member for rotation with said transmission-member, a rotatable drive member having driving engagement with 'said transmission member at substantially the same radial distance from the axis of said shaft as that at which said pin engages in said slot. and means mounting said shaft and providing for simultaneous ad- .justmentof said slotted and transmission mem- 

